Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Chicken Pot Pie, A Family Favorite

  











My family loves food that sticks to your ribs, basically, comfort food with a Southern flare. We also enjoy the ambiance and texture of puffed pastry.  Since puffed pastry is time-consuming (my version), I usually cut corners and buy the boxed kind.  It's one of my little secrets (but you know know) and one of Mother's secrets too. 
   To make the filling, I NEVER used canned veggies. I refuse to cut corners there. I also recommend buying local or at Whole Foods because of the pesticides on the food.  The key for the filling is to use both, cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, added with the veggies, spices, and heavy cream.
   I have the recipe below, but if you prefer a pie shell, use 2 9-inc deep dish shells and flute the top crust to allow steam to escape out of pie. 

CHICKEN POT PIE

2 9-inch pie shell or 2 boxed puffed pastry, cooked, tops off (keep to garnish), and cooled.
1 cup heavy cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tablespoon Spice Islands Chicken Stock Base
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 large chicken breasts,. skinned and finely chopped
2 cups sweet corn
1 cup peas
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups finely chopped potatoes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Do not prebake pie shells, set aside. Bake puffed pastry (if using that version) and set aside.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour into pie shells if using them. if using puffed pastry, heat mixture over stove until thick, then spoon into puffed pastry. Garnish with top of pastry shell and a sprig of fresh parsley. 



Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Amish Garden Made Two Best-Seller Lists

   Imagine how excited I was to find out that my Amish Garden Slow Cooker cookbook made it to #2 on TWO Best-Seller lists: Best Southern Cooking and Seasoning Cooking.   I am so humbled!
   As most who follow me on my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/AmishFictionAuthorSicilyYoder, know I have been slaving away at VERY lengthy revisions for my Amish Romance Christmas books. I love my editors, Ashlee Anne, Jessie Colegrove, and Tammy L. Hensel. They make me a better writer.
   While my focus is on fiction, I still share my love of food through cookbooks, partly because I miss my work as a sales representative for Land O' Lakes, Alouette, and Pillsbury. A car wreck almost three years ago forced me out of that line of work. Therefore, I still enjoy sharing recipes with their products.
   I have decided to have a contest on my Facebook page (link is above) to celebrate this awesome milestone in my writing career. Winners will receive a copy of Amish Garden Slow-Cooker Cookbook.

   To enter, simply post your favorite recipe using Land O' Lakes butter and Pillsbury's ready-to-use products.

Good Luck!

Sicily Yoder